Grandsons to hold Queen Mother vigil

Prince Andrew inspects the flowers outside Clarence House, London

LONDON, England -- The Queen Mother's grandsons are to play a key role in the run-up to her funeral next Tuesday.

The funeral service for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, is to take place at 11.30am (10.30 GMT) on Tuesday April 9 in Westminster Abbey.

Her four grandsons, Prince Charles, the Duke of York, Andrew; The Earl of Wessex, Edward and Viscount David Lindley will hold a silent vigil beside her coffin as it lies in state in the medieval setting of Westminster Hall on Monday night.

The coffin will be carried to the abbey the following morning for a ceremonial and not a full state funeral.

Prince Andrew revealed the grandsons' role on Wednesday as he paid his respects to the Queen Mother, whose coffin is currently resting at the Queen's Chapel in St James' Palace, London.

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He later inspected some of the bouquets of flowers which had been placed outside the royal palace.

He said: "We each had an individual and unique relationship with our grandmother. She was very, very special indeed. I think it's only right we should mark it in this way ... it has been done before."

The four Royals are expected to stand guard at each corner of the coffin -- reminiscent of the gesture made at George V's funeral nearly 70 years ago.

In 1936, after George V's death, the new King Edward VIII, who later abdicated for the love of American divorcee Wallis Simpson, stood vigil with his brothers, Albert, Duke of York -- later George VI -- Henry, Duke of Gloucester and George, Duke of Kent.

Edward and his wife Sophie, made an emotional visit to Windsor Castle where they were married three years ago, to thank the public for their support following the death of the Queen Mother.

They spoke to well-wishers and read messages on the dozens of bunches of flowers left in the castle grounds.

The Queen Mother had died at the Royal Lodge on Saturday, aged 101. (Obituary)

Her coffin will be carried in a ceremonial procession to Westminster Hall in the houses of parliament on Friday where it will lie in state from the afternoon until the

evening of Monday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair reiterated some of the funeral plans during a special session of parliament on Wednesday.

Both houses of parliament had been recalled early to allow politicians and peers to pay their respects and offer their sympathy to the Royal family.

Blair led the tributes, saying the Queen Mother "loved her country and in return, her country loved her."

She had been born into an historic age, when the motor car was just taking to the streets, when the horrors of World War I shocked the world, and when India was still part of the British Empire.

But it was not just her longevity that would have inspired respect, but rather "because of the person she was."

The prime minister said that for almost a century she had been part of the life of the nation, inspiring its "respect and affection" through her steadfast support during the Blitz, her warmth and her unstinting work.

"In all, she saw 20 different prime ministers pass through Downing Street."

Blair added: "One of my best memories of her personally is sitting with her at Balmoral as she told me of her personal recollections not just of Churchill and Attlee, but of Asquith, Lloyd George and Baldwin."

She also displayed a great "zest for life" and sense of fun but it was her "belief in duty that captures her spirit best."

"It is that combination of high integrity and simple humanity that made her not just respected but loved."

The Tory opposition leader Iain Duncan Smith said of the Queen Mother: "She was, frankly, the best of us."

A packed House of Commons observed one minute's silence.

Former Conservative leader Baroness Margaret Thatcher arrived early to attend the Lords sitting despite the recent announcement that she would be making no further public speeches due to ill health.

The Queen Mother's coffin was moved to London on Tuesday from Windsor. (Full story)